Military

Fremantle

Fremantle, Australia is located on the west coast of Australia, bordering the city of Perth. Fremantle is a resort town with "bed and breakfast" hotels, restaurants and boutiques catering to fashion and current trends. There is a "cappucino strip," where people sit at sidewalk tables to observe passersby. Fremantle boasts a wonderful climate and calls itself the sailing capital of Western Australia.

The Port of Fremantle is Western Australia's major general-cargo port. It is a sheltered, all weather port situated on the west coast some 20 kilometers from the State capital, Perth. The Inner Harbour, designed by Irish-born engineer, C.Y. O'Connor and opened on 4 May 1897, is located at the mouth of the Swan River adjacent to the historic City of Fremantle. The Outer Harbour, 20 kilometres further south on the shores of Cockburn Sound was opened on 11 January 1955. Its deepwater bulk port facilities were developed to service the Kwinana industrial area, which expanded rapidly in the 1960s and 70s.

The Inner Harbour provides modern deep-water facilities for handling container trade, break bulk vessels, livestock exports and motor vehicle imports. It also accommodates cruise ships and visiting naval vessels. The Outer Harbour is one of Australia's major bulk cargo ports, handling grain, petroleum, liquid petroleum gas, alumina, mineral sands, fertilisers, sulphur and other bulk commodities.

Fremantle Ports operates the Kwinana Bulk Jetty and Kwinana Bulk Terminal at Kwinana. Alcoa, BP and Co-operative Bulk Handling also operate cargo-handling facilities in the Outer Harbour. The Inner and Outer Harbours are linked by rail to the interstate and intrastate rail networks. Of Australia's five major capital city ports, Fremantle is the closest to Singapore, which is just four and a half days' journey. It is also well positioned for trade with the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Fremantle is very often a first and last port of call for shipping operating between Australia and overseas destinations, making Fremantle a strategic port for trans-shipment of cargoes as well as direct services.